


A Fine Line

by hunnyfresh



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-13
Updated: 2013-03-21
Packaged: 2017-12-05 04:54:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 18,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/719105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hunnyfresh/pseuds/hunnyfresh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Upon Regina's banishment, the small town of Storybrooke becomes protected once again by an enchantment that prevents anyone from leaving or entering Storybrooke. Emma and Regina find themselves on the edge of the town, wishing for a way to the other side.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Once Upon a Time or any recognizable characters
> 
> AN: Because I'm still not over Sunday. Also, big thank you to Korderoo who looked over this piece. Much appreciated!

"Funny seeing you here."

"I could say the same for you, Miss Swan."

Emma slipped off from the hood of her car when she saw headlights in the distance. On clear nights like tonight, the Saviour found herself driving to the edge of the town line just sitting on her car, glaring at the orange painted line. The precarious nature of the deal enacted over a year ago prevented outsiders from coming in, simultaneously meaning that those on the inside couldn't leave the town.

It seemed like a solid deal at first, the old protection of the curse while casting the Evil Queen out, but as the weeks progressed and the confines of the small town enclosed in, Emma felt the cabin fever settle in. More than once she poked a finger over the town line only to whip her hand back from a furious shock.

So she sat and stared at what was out there, wondering if this was all worth it, only to be trapped in a simple town for the rest of her life. She had a family back home, parents and a son, everything she wanted. Then why was she feeling this unexplainable emptiness in her heart? Perhaps she was used to it. Perhaps it was what she was familiar with, and the sheer idea of Emma Swan being complete was too unnerving that she looked for ways to feel empty.

But when she saw headlights pull in, headlights that shouldn't have found their way to the secluded town, Emma felt her heart beat faster in anticipation. Maybe the spell was faltering. Maybe she could leave. It wasn't until the car slowed to the edge of the line did she recognize the Benz.

_Regina._

The two shifted awkwardly, the divide of the line separating them as they stood by their cars less than ten feet away from middle ground.

"What are you doing here?" Emma asked.

"I wasn't aware they had the Saviour keep watch over unwanted intruders," Regina replied smartly, tugging her trench coat tighter around her bodice.

"They don't. Nothing gets in."

"I'm aware."

Neither could deny the sadness in Emma's tone, how trapped the wanderer felt, but the harshness that Regina spoke only mirrored the blonde's emotions.

"So what are you doing here?" The Sheriff asked again.

Regina glared at the orange line before directing it to the woman on the other side. "Nothing. Good night, Ms. Swan."

Emma didn't stop her when she turned and sat back in her car, watching the red of her tail lights fade into the distance.

* * *

 

Three nights later, Regina returned to the border and just sat in the nippy chill that her Benz was becoming when she shut her engine off half an hour ago. Her fingers clutched the steering wheel so hard she was sure she had indented the tough leather.

How did it become like this? She wanted this. She wanted a fresh start, and what better way to do it than to get away from the people who had wanted her head on a pike. She still had an open connection with Henry, phone calls and letters exchanged between the two regularly over the year, but it wasn't the same. It was never the same as soon as she drove over the town line.

Her magic was stripped, her memory intact, but when she saw Henry peaking his head from the backseat of Emma's cruiser with wide eyes, she knew she couldn't leave him, even if it was the best for him. The spell cloaking the New England town had two purposes: keeping its location a secret, and keeping the Evil Queen out.

Sometimes Regina wished they put her head on a pike.

She had stopped crying months ago when the reality that she could never set foot inside Storybrooke again settled in. She wasn't angry, she wasn't scared. All she felt was that void in her heart grow bigger and bigger, consuming her in the emptiness that she was banished to.

Her head whipped up as the sound of an exhaust backfiring cut through the once silent night as two small circular lights shone in the distance, one brighter than the other and less skewed. She sighed heavily when she noticed who had arrived and promptly stepped out of her car.

"Again, Ms. Swan?"

"I could say the same for you." Emma slammed her door shut, hip checking it when it protested with a rusty creak. "Plotting ways to invade?"

Regina scoffed and held her head high. "As you may be aware, my magic was taken from me, and I'm not one to go back on my deals. What brings you here again, Sheriff?"

Emma stuffed her hands deep into her jean pockets, kicking rocks as she inched away from her bug but still kept a healthy distance away from the border. "Stuff."

"Am I interrupting a drug exchange or a romantic affair?"

Emma rolled her eyes and stopped in her place. "Neither." She looked as if she had more to say but shook her head. "Night, Regina."

As soon as the blonde turned, Regina pushed off from the bumper of her Benz and lifted a hand as if she could pull Emma back. "Wait."

The Sheriff stilled and turned slowly, her features softened in questioning.

The brunette cleared her throat and ran her hands through her hair, tucking the errant strands behind her ears. "How's Henry?"

Emma nodded in understanding. "He's okay. Haven't you been talking to him?"

"Of course, but I only know what he tells me," reasoned the older woman.

"David, my dad, he's been teaching him how to wield a sword."

A moment of concern brushed over Regina's face, a moment that Emma inevitably caught. "He's good though. No sliced off hands. He's a little clumsy, but he gets that from me."

The unspoken heritage issue hung in the air between them. The silence stretched on making the blonde uncomfortable as she shifted from foot-to-foot. She pointed to the bug behind her. "I should go."

"Right." Regina nodded, making her way to her own car.

* * *

 

The nights were beginning to warm up for the upcoming Spring season, but that didn't stop the random drops in temperature occurring in Storybrooke, Maine. It also didn't stop the town from feeling smaller and smaller, and it sure as hell didn't stop Emma from waking up from yet another restless sleep and getting into her bug to drive to the town line.

This time she wasn't surprised to see Regina's Benz on the opposite side of the line. She was surprised, however, to find the brunette sitting on top of the hood of her car in the chilly temperature just staring up at the sky above her. Regina didn't move from her spot when Emma pulled her car up. Instead, Emma grabbed a blanket from the backseat of her car, wrapped herself in a tight bundle and sat on her hood, staring at the stars.

No words were spoken. No 'hellos', 'what are you doing here?' or accusations. They just sat on their hoods for hours in the cold, dark night watching the stars brighten then fade as dawn approached.

* * *

 

"Ms. Swan," Regina greeted politely as she pulled up to the town line. She furrowed her brow when she found the blonde Sheriff lying length-wise along the line, her hands clasp over her stomach as she stared up above her. "What on earth are you doing?"

"What's it like?" Emma asked in a hushed tone.

"I beg your pardon?" After months of moving from sitting in her car to on her hood, Regina finally had the sense to bring a collapsible chair which she opened five feet away from the blonde.

"The outside world. What's going on out there?" Emma was positioned so close to the line that one wrong move would send her flying back.

Regina smirked amused. "Global warming is still an issue, we now eat our food in capsules, and the zombies are sprouting up one by one."

Emma chuckled despite herself. "Seriously. What's in the news?"

"You would like an update in current events, Ms. Swan?"

"It's suffocating, you know? Knowing that there are six billion people in this world, and I'm going to interact with a thousand of them, tops." Emma shifted her head to the side to look at Regina.

"I didn't peg you as one who enjoyed the vivacious lifestyle of a social butterfly," Regina pointed out dryly.

"Well, I didn't sign up to live in the Twilight Zone, either," Emma argued.

"But, princess," Regina enunciated her title, "you did."

"Not like this. I didn't know it would be like this." The blonde returned to staring up at the stars. "You got the good end of the deal, you know?"

Regina laughed. She truly laughed. Emma thought she might have gone crazy and sat up on her elbows, wincing and scooting away when her arm skimmed the boundary.

" _I_  came out the victor in this situation?" Regina pressed a hand to her chest as her voice rose. "My son is on the other side of this line, and I can't see him. I can't hug him, I can't kiss him good night. Everything I did, everything I worked for, I did it to find my own happiness, and I thought I found it with him."

She shook her head, a grimace appearing on her face. "But no. Once again, the Evil Queen gets her comeuppance, and the only thing I care about, the only thing I love, is a line away from me."

Emma stared wide-eyed at the panting woman, scurrying to stand when Regina shook her head again and folded her chair. Without thinking, Emma stepped forward to chase the brunette, to prevent her from leaving, but the spell kept her from doing such and flung the blonde back fifteen feet. The last she saw of Regina when she lifted her dizzying head was the screech of Regina's tires as she sped back to the interstate.

* * *

 

Emma wasn't surprised when Regina hadn't returned the next night, or the night after that. Still, Emma returned to the borderline, not necessarily waiting for the hum of Regina's Mercedes, but deciding she wouldn't be opposed to some company.

She heard it again a week later, sliding off the hood of her car to walk to the edge of town and waited for the brunette to exit.

"Hi," Emma said sheepishly.

"Ms. Swan," Regina greeted.

"About the other night –"

"No need for apologies," the brunette dismissed as she brought her chair closer to the edge of town, the closest she'd ever been other than to test the effectiveness of the curse. She sat down with a hard thud and stared off into the distance.

Emma watched her for a few moments before retreating to her trunk and pulling out her own chair and blanket, seating herself adjacent to the former Mayor. "Aren't you cold?"

"No," Regina answered. "I've lived in Maine far longer than you have."

They allowed the few moments of silence to settle between them before Emma broke through it. "Henry's on his horse now."

That caught the brunette's attention as her eyebrows rose signalling the blonde to continue. "My dad, me, and Henry went riding a couple of days ago. I couldn't even get up on the thing, but the kid's a natural. It shook him a few times, but he kept getting back on it."

"He's persistent," Regina grinned with pride.

"He did not get his work ethics from me," Emma chuckled. "Thank god you taught him that."

Regina's eyes flashed to the blonde who continued to chuckle. "And then David stepped into this giant pile of dung. It was disgusting."

The brunette's lip tilted upwards in a smile, betraying her attempt to hide her disdain.

"Mary Margaret wouldn't let him in the apartment, so I had to take him to the station to hose him down."

"You would think the shepherd would be used to smelling like animals," Regina quipped.

The two laughed together in the quiet of the night until slowly their laughter died down.

"The town's boring without you," Emma admitted.

"I assume there's been a decline of mobs carrying torches and pitchforks," Regina responded.

"That too," Emma smirked. "You were fun to tease. Snow, she's too serious."

"Tease?" Regina turned to face the blonde. "You were an annoying mosquito that wouldn't die."

"Literally," Emma pointed out ignoring the eye roll of the older woman. "It beats the monotonous routine I find myself in."

"Is that what these late night excursions are for?" Regina asked. "An attempt to run away from the life that you once wished on every star for?"

"I stopped wishing to find my family a long time ago, Regina," Emma said quietly, glancing at the stars. "I mean, I used to wish I wasn't alone, but finding my parents? Henry finding me? I gave up on those before I was done grade school."

"You're clearly not alone now," the older woman pointed out softly.

Emma's hand shifted, the hand closest to Regina. It could have simply been the blonde adjusting her position, but her hand moved just the same as she made eye contact with the woman she had agreed to banish from the town. "Yeah. I'm not alone."

* * *

 

"You're late."

"Traffic."

Emma pulled out her blanket and laid it down beside the border, sitting cross-legged and leaning back on her palms. "That's one thing I don't miss about Boston."

"I do find myself craving Granny's fresh scones in the morning. The bakery by my apartment just doesn't live up to par," Regina admitted unfolding her chair. "Why are you on a blanket?"

"It's nice out. Lie down with me." Emma patted the spot beside her.

"There's the simple matter of the invisible electrical fence barring me from your side of the road," Regina reminded the Sheriff.

"Sit on your side," Emma said obviously.

"On the road?" Regina gasped at the audacity of such an idea, clutching the back of her chair firmly.

"No one around for miles to see the former hard ass Mayor sitting on the ground," the blonde teased.

"No one around for miles to hear me scream either?" Regina asked pointedly.

Emma smirked sitting up straighter with a goofy grin on her face. "Now why would you be screaming, Regina?"

The brunette's cheeks flushed at Emma's implication, the blonde obviously misconstruing her statement.

"And like you said," Emma pointed to the line, "invisible electrical fence."

Rolling her eyes, Regina dropped herself into her chair with an petulant glare at the blonde.

"So," Emma leaned back, "tell me about Boston."

* * *

 

"I brought you something." The next night found Emma in nearly the same location as she reached over to the bag beside the blanket pulling out a thermos and pouring herself a cup of hot chocolate into the lid.

"Excuse me?" Regina questioned, eyeing the thermos. "I don't like cinnamon."

"This is mine," Emma gulped the chocolate brew then reached into her bag again.

Regina's eyes widened at the familiar white Granny's take-out bag.

"I got you a scone." The blonde retrieved the pastry. "It's kind of cold now, but it was fresh this morning."

Regina stared at Emma for a long while, squinting at the gesture. "Invisible fence, Ms. Swan."

"I know," Emma replied obviously. "I was gonna be mean and eat it in front of you."

"That I believe you would do."

The Sheriff put the scone back in its bag. "You can have it spiritually."

Regina narrowed her eyes and rubbed her stomach in mockery. "Mm, quite delicious."

"I knew you would like it." She replaced the take-out back in her bag and took another sip of her hot drink before smacking her lips. "So what do you do? Did you get a job or something?"

The brunette shook her head. "I still have my wealth from the curse."

"So you sit at home doing nothing all day long?"

"I wouldn't call it home," Regina said quietly, playing with the ring on her finger.

Emma watched the brunette's movements, fascinated by the raw honesty of such a simple statement. "Yeah. I know that feeling."

Shaking it off, Regina shrugged out of her coat and placed it delicately across her lap. "So what has the mighty Saviour been doing to keep herself busy? Any more dragons to slay?"

Emma snorted. "Just Leroy. As usual. Nothing to report."

"Titillating."

"Seriously," Emma said sitting up straighter. "Listen to my day. Wake up. Get Henry food. If we're feeling exciting, we'll stop by Granny's. He goes to school. I go to work. Nothing happens! I pick him up. Mary Margaret calls us over for dinner. I watch re-runs. And then I come here."

"No one tells you to come here," Regina said defensively.

"I know," Emma said obviously. "It's the one thing that I do for me."

Regina stared intently at the blonde, wondering her motive. "So you try to run away every night only to be stopped?" She motioned to the line between them.

Emma shook her head. "No. Not anymore at least."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

The Sheriff shrugged. "You know we've been coming here for a while and we haven't really fought?"

Regina looked taken aback before she thought about it. "I suppose you're right."

The blonde grinned before stretching out on her blanket. "Don't be surprised."

"And yet I am." Regina leaned her head in a fraction of an inch. "Let's just attribute that to the fact that there's a barrier between us."

"Are you saying that you'd rather there not be?" Emma tilted her head in amused questioning.

"If there wasn't and we fought I may be inclined add another bruise to your pretty little face."

"You think my face is pretty?"

Regina rolled her eyes and huffed. "It's an expression, Ms. Swan."

"Yeah, a complimenting one. What's in the water in Boston?"

"I don't want to know," groaned Regina.

Emma grinned, bringing her knees up and resting her elbows on them. Before she could continue any further, her phone rang. Throwing an apologetic look Regina's way, Emma scurried over to her phone and answered. "Sheriff." She sighed. "I'll be right there."

"Dragon?" Regina asked.

"The drunkest." Emma replaced her phone and stood. She looked from her spot on the ground to the woman on the other side of the line still nestled comfortably in her chair. She finally rested her gaze on the brunette before shaking her head and began gathering her belongings. Holding the awkward bundle in her arms, Emma nodded. "See you later?"

Regina offered a tight smile, but a smile nonetheless, and nodded in return.

Emma had returned to the spot two hours later hoping that Regina would still be there. She couldn't understand why she felt so disappointed that she wasn't.

* * *

 

Right around ten, Regina returned to the boundary line, finding Emma already spread out on her blanket, right against the edge. Her phone was beside her head playing soft music as the blonde sung along under her breath. She lifted her head when Regina flapped out her own blanket and let it lie along the edge of the line. Without a word, the older woman removed her coat from the warm weather, protected by a fitted woolen sweater and laid down on top, her head opposite the blonde's. Emma just smirked and went back down, continuing to hum to her music.

Three songs played before Regina broke the comfortable silence. "I paint."

"Hmm?" Emma tilted her head to the side, staring at the profile of the older woman's face.

"I paint. In my apartment," Regina explained. "It passes the time."

"What do you paint?"

"Landscape."

"Just makes you get lost in them, huh?" Emma commented casually, not quite comprehending the slight intake of breath coming from the woman beside her.

"Like running," the brunette replied turning her head to face the blonde who still remained staring.

"Yeah, except better," Emma nodded minutely. Another song filled the air until Emma pointed up at the sky. "See that?"

"The stars?" Regina questioned obviously.

"Not all of them," the blonde huffed impatiently at Regina's attempt to make her look stupid. She traced the sky with her finger, inching as close as she could for the brunette to follow. "Those stars right there. Kind of looks like a house?"

Against her better judgment, Regina squinted and raised her own hand to trace what she saw. "Right there?"

"Yeah." They both brought their hands down as Emma continued to speak. "That's Libra. The Scales."

"Your sign, I presume?"

The blonde shook her head. "I'm an Aquarius."

"What's your point then?" Both women remained looking up at the constellation.

"It's the scales, represents justice," Emma explained, gesturing scales with her hands. "The Greeks say that when a person dies, their heart gets weighed, and if it's light, they go up with the gods and become part of the sky."

"And if it's heavy?" Regina asked ominously.

"They were sent to Hades."

Regina turned her head slowly to face the blonde who returned the gesture. "Hades isn't so bad."

"He's the King of the Underworld."

Emma pointed up at Libra again. "It also represents Hades' chariot, the one that kidnapped Persephone when he brought her to the Underworld."

"You're not exactly selling me on visiting the Underworld, Ms. Swan," the brunette quipped.

Emma playfully glared, making a face telling the older woman to hush. "I don't think he's a bad guy. People just think that because he rules the dead."

"What makes you think he's a good guy?"

"Because out of all the gods he was the only one to be married to one woman," the Sheriff reasoned. "And she became Queen. I mean, do you hear people calling Hera Queen of the Gods?"

"He kidnapped her," the former Mayor pointed out.

"She only screamed when she couldn't see the light anymore," Emma said. "Up until then she was fine."

"So what you're saying is that Hades, King of the Underworld, God of death, has the best marriage and is just misunderstood?" Regina raised a perfectly arched eyebrow, her lip twitching in amusement.

Emma just shrugged and turned back towards the sky. "I used to think he had it right."

* * *

 

Regina glanced at her watch. It was already quarter to eleven, and she wasn't entirely sure why she felt so anxious. It wasn't like she and Emma made plans out of these meetings. They were purely coincidental. She huffed and stood from her chair, preparing to fold it. Glancing up across the boundary one more time, she saw a small speck in the distance fast approaching. She squinted and edged her way to the border.

Sure enough, a mane of wild blonde hair flew in the distance as the Sheriff sprinted towards the boundary.

"Emma?" Regina said to herself as the blonde got closer and closer.

Finally she arrived, panting and out of breath and doubled over with her hands on her knees to catch her breath. "Sorry," Emma gasped out. "No." She breathed in deeply. "Car."

Regina could almost laugh with how disheveled the blonde looked, her hair a mess and her stuffed satchel hanging limply around her front.

Finally processing Emma's presence, Regina's eyes widened. "You walked here?"

Emma just nodded, putting her hands on her hips and pacing back and forth to open her airways.

"That's over five miles."

"Yeah?" Emma asked not really caring.

"Why on earth would you do that?" Regina asked appalled.

Her breathing had finally settled. "Told you. My time."

"Where is your car?" Regina asked with too much concern in her tone for her liking.

"Yeah, about that. . ."

Regina crossed her arms knowing for sure this would be an interesting story.

Emma scratched her head and mumbled. "I kind of set it on fire?"

"Is that a question?" Regina asked amused and astounded.

"No, no I did," the blonde conceded.

"And how, may I ask, did you manage such a feat?"

"I've been practicing my magic," Emma explained with wild hand gestures. "And then it kind of just. ." She opened her fists suddenly mimicking an explosion. "Lit up."

Regina threw her head back an inch in laughter.

"It's not funny!"

"Forgive me," Regina smirked. "It's about time that car retired."

Emma shook her head and removed her bag, pulling out the blanket and setting it on the ground. "You staying?"

Regina hesitated a moment, watching the blonde set up before opening her chair.

* * *

 

Regina waited in the headlights of her Benz, sitting cross-legged on a blanket as she watched the seconds of her wristwatch tick away.

11:30. Where was Emma?

The brunette crossed her arms over her eyes and groaned. Why did she even care? All she wanted when she began coming to Storybrooke's town border was to get as close as possible to Henry, not to meet up with the woman whose family ruined everything. She was not disappointed. No. Not in the slightest. She looked at her watch again. 11:33.

Regina waited well past midnight, but Emma never showed.

* * *

 

By the time the former Mayor returned to the town line the next night, the cruiser was already parked on Storybrooke's side of the line with Emma leaning against the hood, her hands stuffed in her pockets and her head down.

Concerned, though Regina would attest that she was merely curiously, the brunette pulled up as close as possible and walked just a little faster to the edge of the line. "Ms. Swan?"

Emma looked up, her right eye a distended colour of purple and green. "Hi."

"Dear god, what happened?" Regina stepped forward, only to whip herself back at the shock of the magic. She growled but stepped closer again, watching her footing this time.

Emma shrugged and removed her hands from her pockets, lifting a duffel bag she had left on the ground. "Just had to break up a fight last night. Spent the night getting looked at. Hazards of the job, you know?"

Regina raised an eyebrow not entirely believing the blonde's words. It wasn't until Emma fluffed out her blanket did she notice the Sheriff's right hand was wrapped up. The brunette set her own blanket on the ground and motioned to Emma's hand. "I suppose that's part of your job description as well?"

Emma looked to where Regina was pointing and held up the hand. "Beats doing paperwork."

"What happened?"

"Nothing. So you planning on showing me one of your paintings one day?"

"If it was nothing you wouldn't have a problem boasting about your fight," the older woman pointed out. "Or did you lose?"

Emma smirked bringing her knees up and resting her arms on them. "No, you should see the other guy."

"Who was it?"

"No one you know."

Regina gave the blonde a condescending stare.

Emma sighed. "Jefferson."

Regina automatically tensed but narrowed her eyes in confusion. "What did he do? He has his daughter back."

"Pretty sure Henry has a crush on her," the Sheriff noted in an attempt to change the subject. Emma held for a good minute under Regina's scrutinizing gaze before finally breaking. "He said some things I didn't agree with."

"Like?"

She made eye contact with the older woman on the other side of the line. "Not very nice things about you."

Emma was sure that some sort of freezing spell was placed on the brunette for Regina didn't move after Emma's admission. "Look, I kind of lost my temper with him, he did kidnap me, so it was probably due to the that but –"

"Why would you do that?" Regina questioned, her tone harsh and her voice higher.

"What?"

"What are you getting at?" Regina stood, her heels planted firmly in the ground as she glared menacingly at the blonde who scurried to stand.

"Why the hell are you mad? I stood up for you," Emma pointed out.

"You're about a year too late for defending me, Ms. Swan."

"Come on, I'm suffering from this stupid curse just as much as the next guy. What, I'm just supposed to let people run their mouth about you?"

"Just because you're the Saviour does not mean you can interfere with my life!" Regina's sudden burst of anger had Emma's head reeling. "I can protect myself."

Emma stood to the side and motioned to the stretch of road behind her. "Then come over here and kick Jefferson's ass."

The brunette growled. "Ms. Swan, I believe you're confusing these meetings as something of a friendship, and rest assured, you will not need to 'protect' me any further."

If Emma wasn't so confused and angry at Regina being angry, she would have laughed as the brunette grumbled under her breath, whipping up the blanket in her arms and stalking towards her car. Just before she got in, Emma called after her. "Just because you can protect yourself doesn't mean you should stop other people from trying."

Regina whipped her head back at Emma, and for a brief moment, Emma thought she saw something reflected in brown eyes. Perhaps it was just a trick of the light, but she was pretty sure she saw real emotion from Regina Mills.

* * *

 

Two days later, Regina returned close to midnight. She knew she overreacted, but there was only so long she could be in the presence of Emma Swan before fires started. She was almost surprised when she saw the cruiser on the edge of the line, Emma lying down on the roof.

She saw Emma sit up as she approached, positioning her car in a similar fashion as Emma's. When she got out, she stared up on the roof.

"Thinking about it?" Emma smirked.

"I am not climbing up there," Regina decided and hopped up on her hood.

The blonde lay back down. "Suit yourself."

After Emma's story about the constellation, Regina found herself searching up more legends and myths about them, fascinated at their tale. She imagined Orion, easily found the Big Dipper and almost kicked herself in the head at being unable to locate Cassiopeia.

For hours they sat in silence, and by the time Regina processed the fact, she looked over to see that Emma had fallen asleep on the roof of her car. The blonde was curled up, knees to her chest, atrocious red leather jacket draped over her as a blanket and on her side facing Regina.

How long had Emma been staring at her before she fell asleep?

Shaking it off, Regina slid off her hood and inched her car back toward the interstate until she put in brake and stepped out again. She found a rock and began to draw in the road just off of the border. Wiping off her hands from the gravel, she drove back to Boston leaving the Sheriff who would wake up in two hours by almost rolling off of her car and would see the message on the road.

 _Thank You_.

* * *

 

"I wanted to show you something."

"Really?"

The two women lay on the road before Regina sat up slightly and rummaged in her tote bag. She pulled out an 8x11 canvas before lying back down and held it up for the blonde to see.

"You painted that?" Emma raised her hand to touch the canvas, a scene of a long winding road and just off into the distance almost imperceptibly so did the road split into two, but realised her error just in time, bringing her hand back dejectedly. "That's really good."

"Thank you," Regina whispered with a hint of pride in her voice. She sat up and replaced the painting, pulling out another one. "Here's another."

This one was a meadow filled with wild flowers of all sorts of colours. This time Emma couldn't help herself when she tried to touch a particularly detailed daffodil in the forefront of the painting before electricity shot through her, making her yelp and skid back a few feet.

"Emma!" Regina scurried up and yelled. She made a movement to go after her, but the buzz of magic on the borderline reminded her she would meet the same fate. "Emma!"

The blonde groaned and picked herself up slowly. "I'm okay. Stupid move."

The brunette shook her head. "How do you keep doing that?"

Emma limped back towards the line. "I wanted to see, so sue me." Gently, Emma raised her hand to the invisible barrier. She winced when it tingled through her palm. "Damn."

"Perhaps one day your magic will be enough to break it down," Regina joked.

Their eyes met meaningfully.

"One day."

* * *

 

"Did you bring a flashlight?"

"Yes, though I don't see the point."

Emma walked towards Regina with her own flashlight in her hand when she turned it on and shone it into the forest. "I thought we could take a walk. Road's breaking my back."

The brunette tilted her head to the side, gawking at the blonde then at the darkness that was Storybrooke's forest. She huffed when Emma didn't wait for an answer, instead just proceeded to walk towards the thick brushes of trees, keeping to her side of the line. Sighing, Regina followed, turning on her light creating enough glow ahead of them with the help of Emma's Sheriff-issued lamp.

Emma picked up a stick as they entered the wood and let it drag on the ground, creating a line that extended from the orange painted boundary. The only sound that surfaced was the rustling of the trees and the soft snap of twigs underneath their feet.

"I am not wearing the proper footwear for this excursion," Regina bemoaned the fact that her heels were now ruined.

"What are you doing wearing heels for? You paint, isn't it law to have paint all over your clothes and to be a struggling artist?" Emma teased.

Regina glared as they got to a clearing. "Why did you want to walk?"

"No one to hear you scream," the blonde smirked. She laughed but moved quickly when it looked like Regina was about to turn back. "Come on, it's nice."

Biting her lip, the brunette relented as they continued their walk in the woods, talking of mundane yet meaningful topics as the minutes ticked by.

"So I was thinking," Emma began when they made their way back to the road.

"Hmm?"

The Sheriff stopped her track and dug her boot into the dirt. "I was thinking, maybe you'd like to meet up tomorrow."

Regina furrowed her brow in confusion, not wanting to admit that it was a given. The only possible conclusion she could come up with made her eyebrows shoot up. "Like a date?"

Emma whipped her head up wide eyed. "What? No – I mean, wait? You would? I was gonna ask something else, but yeah?"

The brunette flushed red, grateful for the darkness of the forest when she realized her mistake. "What were you going to ask?"

"During the day, meet me at the line. I'll have a surprise," Emma answered.

It was clear neither woman wanted to bring up the mis-communication nor had any sense to realize how much they both wanted it.

Regina nodded. "I'll be here."

* * *

 

At noon the next day, Regina drove up to the boundary line feeling rather nervous. It was the first time she would be meeting Emma in broad daylight, and though she always looked more than presentable, the brunette found herself to be self-conscious about what to wear for the day.

As soon as she pulled up and watched the Sheriff step out of the cruiser, she gasped when the passenger door opened up and her little, well not so little anymore, boy slid out of the passenger seat. She pushed the brakes suddenly when she saw Henry, now thirteen and puberty hitting him hard. He had grown at least a foot, his face sporting a few unfortunate pimples and he seemed to be tripping over his ever growing feet. She rushed out but paused by her door.

"Mom?" His voice had broken, but he was still her little boy.

She took tentative steps toward him. Their relationship had grown over the phone and through letters, but she hadn't seen him in close to two years. "Henry?"

The boy ran before Emma yelled at him not to get too close to the line. He stopped right on the line, grinning as Regina approached with moisture in her eyes. "I missed you."

The brunette brushed the water from under her lids and laughed happily, holding herself in an effort to contain her joy. "I miss you too."

* * *

 

"Thank you," Regina whispered quietly that night when she and Emma returned to their spot that night, both lying down on the ground. Neither would say out loud that lying beside each other was their favourite spot. "I cannot thank you enough for that."

The brunette mother and her son had spent hours talking, about Henry's sword fighting, his horse riding, which Regina was all too eager to help him with, his schoolwork, everything. It wasn't until Emma brought up Paige did the boy shut his trap, his ears burning bright red. Regina scolded Emma for embarrassing him, but that made the blonde laugh even harder.

"You can show me more of your paintings," Emma grinned looking at Regina who returned a watery smile before looking back at the stars, regaling the older woman in more tales about the Greek myths.

If Regina had looked from her position, she would have seen Emma inching her hand next to Regina's, pulling back ever so slightly when shock ran through her. If Emma hadn't been looking at the stars, she would have seen a whole new emotion in the brunette's eyes, one that hadn't been there since Daniel.

* * *

 

"I've been working on my magic."

"I've been working on my art."

The blonde and brunette sat nearly on top of the line, as close as they could possibly get. Regina could practically feel the blonde's warmth radiating off of her. In the summer nights, Emma had returned to wearing her simple tank top and skinnies, while the blonde was blessed with seeing Regina in a loose plain t-shirt and very expensive jeans over real leather boots. Even in simplicity, the brunette looked like a million dollars.

"You go first," Emma nodded towards the brunette.

Regina bit her lip, missing Emma's pleased smile at the action, before scurrying to her bag and pulling out a sketchbook. She held it to her chest before pointing a stern finger to the younger woman. "You can't say anything."

Emma's eyebrows raised in intrigue. "Okay."

Biting her lip again, Regina flipped through her book. Sketched scenes of landscape flew through the pages before she stopped at her latest drawing. She held it open in her lap, forcing the blonde to lean closer, their heads almost touching as she tilted her head to the side to take in the drawing.

It wasn't a landscape drawing. It was  _Emma_.

Regina held her breath, watching Emma study the drawn figure of herself, staring out the window of a Boston city apartment. If Emma hadn't known it was impossible for her to leave Storybrooke, she would have sworn  she had posed for that sketch for Regina.

"Wow," Emma breathed out. "That's amazing."

Regina looked up at her with wide hopeful eyes which Emma met with a smile. "Can I –Never mind."

"Can you what?" Regina asked, leaning forward from her spot.

Emma looked at her sadly then glanced down the length of the borderline. "I was gonna ask if I could keep it."

"Oh," Regina said softly glaring at the line herself. She caught Emma's glance again. "Yes, you can."

The blonde grinned. "Thanks."

Regina blushed putting the book away when she heard Emma clear her throat.

"Can I try something?"

The brunette made a motion with her hand to allow the blonde free reign.

Emma went up on her knees, ridiculously close to the line that the magic buzzed between them. She made a motion with her finger for Regina to come closer, to mimic Emma's position. Wary, Regina did so, only an inch separating them. The blonde held her hand up feeling the tingling of the border course through her body.

Emma didn't have to ask. Regina willingly and carefully placed her hand against Emma's, preparing herself to be whipped back full force. It didn't happen. For the first time in nearly two years, Regina felt Emma's hand against hers, a thin layer of magic buzzing through them, not quite pleasant but harmless all the same.

Both women stared at their touching palms wide eyed, their breathing quickened at feeling each other, feeling the other's warmth. "Well," Regina whispered breathless and amazed.

Their hands touched far longer than what would be deemed acceptable but neither woman cared. Regina looked up at Emma after cutting off her trance at their hands. She noticed the blonde eye Regina's lips before green averted back to brown.

The brunette gulped. "Can I try something?"

Emma nodded.

Slowly, cautiously, as if drawn together by a magnet, the leaned their heads in, lips closer, the hot breath between them being shared as they inched closer. 

 _Almost_.

Electricity shot between them, making the women yell out in shock as the force knocked them back ten feet. Emma, used to it by now, was the first to get up, wiping off her scraped arms to rush to the border and saw that Regina was just picking herself up off the ground. "Regina!"

The brunette picked herself up off the ground, the vulnerability in her eyes disappeared and replaced with anger. Her hands were scraped and bloody, Emma noticed. Clenching her hands shut, Regina steeled her jaw. "I think I'll be going."

Before giving her the chance to turn, Emma called out. "Regina!"

She turned, almost fighting with herself to do so, and it was there that the brunette saw the regret in her eyes as she stared at the orange painted line. Emma simply held her hand back up, pleading. Without hesitation, Regina walked back to the line, placing her hand against Emma's confident this time. The magic buzzed between their palms again, the warmth spreading, the feeling of being alone diminished.

Emma watched Regina stare at their hands again, wanting to intertwine their fingers together but knew if she did so, she would send them flying back again. She caught her eyes, her desperate, sad eyes matching her own.

"One day."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer in Chapter One
> 
> AN: Thank you so much for the amazing feedback! You guys are literally the best people in the entire world. I've decided where I'd like this to go, and it will be three chapters in total. I hope you guys enjoy the ride :)

"You drive four hours to come here almost every day?" Emma asked as she sat near the town line.

"Three," Regina said leaning back on her hands.

Emma chuckled earning herself a glare from the woman across from her.

"What?"

"You're the reason for global warming, and why there are speed limits."

Regina rolled her eyes, sucking her teeth at the blonde.

"Come on, doesn't the drive get tiring?"

"Perhaps I'll spend more evenings at home then," the brunette threatened pointedly.

Emma held her hands up in mock defeat. "It's nice, I mean. For you to come here."

She caught the brief and hesitant smile on the older woman's face and looked down, attempting to hide her own pleased grin. She held her hand up against the line, looking up when Regina placed her own against the blonde's and caught her gaze. "When I break down this wall, I'll pay for your gas."

Regina laughed, the sound pleasant to the blonde's ears. "Why do I feel like your efforts will be reduced in an attempt to preserve the contents of your wallet?"

"Hey, I'm the Sheriff," Emma reminded her.

"And I set your salary," Regina pointed out. "I'm willing to bet your mother hasn't made significant changes other than bringing the town back to an archaic world."

"Tell me about it," the blonde grumbled.

Slowly they pulled their hands apart, the tingling of the magic buffered by Emma's. Regina glanced down at her palm, exhaling deeply feeling the buzz dissipate almost suddenly from the loss of contact. She chanced a glance to the other side of the line from under her lashes and stared at the space longingly.

"Hey," Emma said softly, sensing Regina's shift of mood. Her hand twitched, wanting to rest on top of Regina's knee, but Emma had to hold it back. "I have a plan."

Regina's eyes flashed with hope. "Oh?"

* * *

 

Confused as to why Emma wanted to meet by 6 with a small basket of food, Regina was about to set her blanket down when she saw the cruiser pull up. Try as she might, she couldn't stop the small upturn of her lips when Emma stepped out of the car.

The blonde looked nervous. Although she walked with confidence, her hands with stuffed in the back pockets of her jeans.

"What's your big plan, Sheriff?" Regina eyed the division between them as if it were tangible.

Emma's eyes flashed with determination. "You busy right now?"

"Excuse me?" Regina asked confused. "You asked me here, remember?"

Emma sighed mentally rolling her eyes. "If you're not doing anything, then I figured we could sit down together, have some food, listen to music, and you know, talk about our likes and dislikes."

"A date?" Regina almost laughed at the blonde's detailed explanation.

She nodded animatedly. "We'll only call it that if you say yes."

The brunette smirked at her picnic basket, finally understanding. "I suppose I have nothing better to do."

"Don't jump for joy now," Emma replied sarcastically. She motioned her head to the side. "I know this great restaurant."

"Oh do you?" Regina let out a breathy laugh. "I imagine reservations must have been impossible to get."

Emma grinned, taking a few steps towards the forest, waiting for Regina to follow. "I know people who know people."

"We're walking now?" Regina tutted. "Not a very good first impression on our date."

"I thought we could take the scenic route. How often do you get to see a fallen over oak tree?" Emma motioned to the said tree.

"That all depends on how often we'll visit this restaurant you so highly speak of," Regina quipped.

Emma grinned, unable to hide the red that her cheeks were becoming. "Depending on what you brought I hear the chef is the best chef for miles."

"Seeing as it's just me and you, I most certainly believe that."

"You'll teach me?"

"I'm not willing to lose kitchen appliances."

Emma glared while Regina just flashed her best grin.

"Henry."

"Never cooking for that kid again," the blonde mumbled.

"That's for the best," Regina reassured smartly.

She narrowed her eyes when they approached a small wooded area with a giant tree stump firmly embedded in their path. It was cracked down the middle where the division occurred, and on Emma's half of the stump, she could see half a vase of imitation flowers positioned directly on the line in the center of the stump. She whipped her head to Emma who just shrugged and offered a tight smile. "Welcome to Chez Forêt."

They walked up to the stump just as Emma removed her phone from her pocket and played a setlist of classical music that she'd downloaded just for tonight. She motioned to Regina's side of the table. "Madame."

"No seats?"

The blonde ran a hand through her hair, wincing at the fact. "Japanese-style?"

She sat cross-legged at her end of the stump, pleased when Regina set her blanket down and did the same. "I have to say I've never been to an outdoor French restaurant inspired by Asian decorum."

Emma laughed before crawling over to her own pack and removing a candle split down the middle and gently positioning it against the border. She lit it, and soon the air around them smelled of apple cinnamon. "The menu is limited, but feel free to order whatever you'd like."

Regina removed a tupperware of lasagna, garlic bread and pulled out a bottle of water.

"Aww I want to order that," Emma whined eyeing her food as she removed her own club sandwich.

"Perhaps one day you can," Regina said quietly, her meaningful gaze caught the blonde's across from her.

Emma offered a tight, sad smile before shaking it off and pulling out a plastic wine glass and filling it with the contents of a wine juice box. Regina laughed out loud when she noticed the younger woman sticking the straw in the box, removing it then pouring the wine into her glass. "Classy."

Emma smirked, lifting her glass and toasting to Regina, taking a small sip.

They slipped easily into the flow of conversation. Emma began telling stories of watching Leroy court a nun, of Henry and his activities, though she loved returning to the topic of Paige whenever he was around simply to see his ears redden, and how she started running in the mornings to kill time, where the residents just thought she was being a health-conscious Sheriff.

Regina regaled her with stories of the city, sometimes staying up when she returned home from their meetings just before dawn and would sit on her balcony watching the morning and the night meet so briefly with the rising of the sun and the dimming of the street lights. She spoke of a cafe she frequented and how the barista, on more than one occasion, wrote his phone number on her coffee cup.

It pleased Regina to note that Emma tensed at the story, giving a new meaning to the green-eyed monster as her eyes flashed with jealousy, sadness and anger. The brunette moved her hand closer to Emma's, wanting to reassure her she made a point of drinking her coffee there and disposing the cup in front of him, only to whip it back, the magic of the border shocking her and knocking over the half-vase in the process.

Once Emma picked up the vase and replaced it back to the center, a solemn silence hung over them. The same thoughts ran through their minds. How long could they do this for? How long before they both got too tired, Regina not willing to make the three-hour drive, Emma accepting her fate and cease all forms of running? Neither knew the answer for the other any more than they knew the answer for themselves.

"Do you want to dance?"

Regina whipped her head up, distracted from her thoughts. She opened her mouth with clear confusion written all over her face before Emma stood from the ground, switching her playlist until a soft bass played and the tinny voice of Heather Nova rang out.

She waited for Regina to stand, and then stepped impossibly close to the line, holding out both palms against the barrier. She winced pulling a centimeter back, catching the brunette's wide gaze. "Be careful."

Regina stepped up to the line almost toe-to-toe with the Sheriff and slowly pressed her palms against Emma's. They felt the familiar rush, as if doing this simple innocuous act of barely holding hands was a rebellion that no one could take away from them.

Emma began to sway side to side to the timing of the music. She made the mistake of stepping closer, effectively zapping her and Regina apart a couple steps back.

Emma groaned frustrated, tugging at her hair. Regina simply stepped back to the line, her palms up waiting for Emma to do the same. When the blonde finally released her anger on an unsuspecting rock, she returned to Regina placing her hands against the older woman's more gently this time. Again she tried to sway.

"Dont," Regina whispered.

"But it's not dancing," Emma replied forlornly.

Regina smiled with her eyes, a sad smile that bred acceptance and diminished hope. "It's enough."

* * *

 

"You better be getting my good side."

"Shut up."

Emma stuck out her tongue as she sat back on her elbows, her curls draped to one side of her shoulder. Regina sat across from her, a flashlight beside her to counter the impending night, with her nose hovering above her sketchbook drawing furiously. The look of utter concentration on her face made the blonde posing for her grin.

"I've been sitting like this for hours," Emma complained.

"Then lie down. I don't need you posing anymore," Regina answered curtly glancing up to study the Sheriff briefly before sketching again.

Emma didn't take her advice just in case the brunette was sour. Instead she remained leaning back on an arm, flicking her flashlight on to add to the glow coming from Regina's flashlight and their headlights, before quietly gazing at the stars above her.

* * *

 

The blonde and the brunette trudged through the woods, having met at a reasonable hour, both of them with a tent in their possession.

"I changed my mind," Regina blurted out as they made camp. "I don't want to do this."

"Why not?"

"I hate camping."

"Have you ever been? Besides you sleep literally on the side of the road sometimes," Emma pointed out.

"I do not." Her eyes flashed defiantly.

"It'll be like that time we both fell asleep except now we'll be more comfortable." Emma dropped her tent, bag and chair once they reached a wide enough clearing and began setting up her tent.

Regina pulled out her chair and watched Emma work, appreciating the flex of the blonde's muscles as she put the poles together.

"Can you stop gawking and start hitching?" Emma teased, her back still to the former Mayor.

"I was not gawking," Regina blushed.

"Okay, Regina," the blonde laughed, pushing her poles into their spots of the fabric of her tent. She tried to work quickly, eager to watch Regina struggle. Seeing the brunette in an unfamiliar environment always made the blonde grin wickedly. There was something about the flustered woman that made her want to laugh and feel bad all at the same time.

"Done."

Emma turned disbelieving, and sure enough, Regina's small two-person tent was already up and hammered to the ground. "How did you do that? Did you use magic?"

The brunette rolled her eyes. "How many times do I have to tell you I have no magic?"

"There's no way you got that up before I did." Emma pointed at the tent accusingly.

"Competitive, are we?" Regina asked amused and sat in her chair motioning to Emma's half-made tent. "By all means, dear, show me how it's done."

Emma tilted her head with a petulant glare. "It's a pop-up tent."

Regina rolled her eyes again. "Just hurry up, Ms. Swan."

They moved their tents to the line as close as they could, a bug zapper on Emma's side and mini lanterns scattered near the middle - their simulation fire. They both lay in their tents, their heads sticking out.

"I still haven't seen that picture you drew the other day," Emma mentioned.

"I'm not done."

"I want to see it when you're done."

"Patience," Regina said firmly. She lowered her voice to a whisper, not feeling the need to speak up in the quiet of the forest. "Where does Henry think you are?"

"He knows," Emma answered drawing figures in the dirt.

"Your parents?"

Emma paused. "What about them?"

"Do they know?"

"No," the blonde answered hesitantly.

The brunette expected as much. After all, she was the Evil Queen, and if Snow and Charming knew she was coming so close to the border almost five times a week to see Emma no less, they'd take matters into their own hands.

"Perhaps for the best," Regina began assuaging the blonde's feelings of guilt. "Their course of action could be locking you in a high tower."

Emma let out a breathy laugh. "Would you climb up my hair?"

"If it reached my side," Regina quipped.

Emma's face fell suddenly, playing with the dirt more aggressively. "I've been practicing-"

"I know," Regina rushed to amend.

"I'm trying-"

"Emma," Regina said more firmly, letting her know it was okay. "I know."

* * *

 

The nights grew more chilly and judging by the change in leave colours, fall was settling in the air. The nights weren't as bright as the blonde and brunette had grown used to, and they found themselves huddled, in their own way, on blankets with sweaters and more blankets cocooned around them.

They found themselves in this position more often than not, a lot of the times falling asleep this way, and just as often one of them would try to the find the other in their sleep only to be whipped back by the border.

* * *

 

"It's getting colder," Regina mentioned casually.

"I know," Emma answered sitting on her hood.

The unspoken agreement between them hung in the air. Winter was approaching. They couldn't see each other nearly every day. They had agreed in the summer to hibernate for the winter, but neither women were sure they could do that.

They remained still, Emma on her car, Regina leaning against her door, desperately trying to find ways around it.

* * *

 

They met on special occasions and days that promised a warmer temperature despite the snow on the ground, but given the fact they met up in Maine didn't provide any opportunity for such circumstances.

Regina didn't want Emma, who had never adjusted to the cold despite the nearly three years spent in Storybrooke, to catch hypothermia during their meetings, and Emma didn't want Regina to have to drive back and forth on icy and winding roads.

Unfortunately for them, the closest special occasion as soon as the snow hit mid-November was Christmas. The only thing that kept them going was the fact that Emma called her every night under the ruse of Henry wanting to talk.

On Christmas Eve, Regina drove the four-hour drive to Storybrooke, gifts wrapped in her backseat and a happy smile on her face when she saw the familiar cruiser waiting for her.

As soon as the Benz approached, Emma moved quickly out of her car, a giant smile plastered on her face making her look even more dopey with her bobble-knitted hat and poofy winter jacket. Henry stepped out much more dignified, and both mother and son went up to the line to greet the brunette.

Regina walked over with her gift for Henry and Emma, still amazed at her now fourteen-year old son looking more and more like a man every day.

"Merry Christmas, Mom," Henry greeted, his voice deep.

"Merry Christmas, dear." She smiled and motioned to the package in her hand. "I realize you can't have it right now-"

"Save it for me," Henry said cutting her off. He caught Emma's eye, and the brunette woman realized he knew what Emma was trying to accomplish.

She opened up the gift for him, pleased when he looked surprised and stepped towards the line, just feeling the shock before Emma whipped him back. Regina threw the blonde a grateful look before holding up their son's gift - a monogrammed riding helmet.

"Thanks, Mom!" He grinned.

Regina replaced it back in its gift bag, pleased he liked the gift.

The cold prevented the family from staying out too long, only long enough to finish a thermos between Henry and Emma and a travel mug of hot cider for Regina.

When Henry was nudged back into the cruiser, Regina and Emma walked off to the side together just as a light snow fall began to drift down.

"I got you something," Emma admitted sheepishly.

"Me too."

"You go first."

Regina unwrapped Emma's gift for her with tentative fingers. She slid out the gift to present the blonde with the sketch she had drawn of her months prior, now protected in an elegant frame. Emma grinned widely at the addition of the picture. Regina was nestled in Emma's arm, her back to the blonde's front.

Regina avoided Emma's gaze, her cheeks heating up and preparing herself to be laughed at or teased. After a minute of silence where a thin layer of snow covered the frame, Regina saw Emma's hand moved towards the frame before stopping herself, the blonde gritting her teeth at why she couldn't touch the frame, why she couldn't hold the woman in front of her the way their picture depicted.

"Hang it up for me?" Emma asked through a watery smile.

Regina returned it, relieved at her expression before nodding and holding the frame to her chest.

Emma dug into her pockets to remove a small, surprisingly well-wrapped box, a small red thing with snowmen littered on its print. She tore through it recklessly, letting the wrapper fall to the ground before revealing a small velvet jewelry box. She struggled to open it with her mittened hand finally able to prop the box open. Inside was a sterling silver chain with a thing circular band as its ornament. The circle was decorated in a million tiny little diamonds, whether they were real or not, Emma didn't know, but the way the ring-like circle sparkled in the light made Emma want to buy it.

She used her teeth to yank off her glove then used her hand to pick up the necklace, letting it dangle in the air. "I didn't know if you liked gold or silver or-"

Regina hugged the frame closer to her chest. "Put it on for me?"

Emma yanked her other mitt off and struggled to undo the clasp with her slowly numbing fingers. She finally weaved it around her neck where it settled next to her own necklace of similar design.

"It's like yours," Regina commented.

"Oh." Emma moved her hand to her neck feeling embarrassed. "I didn't even think of that."

She shoved her hands deep into her jacket pocket as she rambled. "I didn't think you'd go for a heart, and I think we all know hearts can break, and circles they just. . ."

She let her sentence drag on, feeling stupid about her reasoning.

"I know." Regina smiled reassuringly. She motioned to the blonde's neck. "I love it."

Emma dug her boot into the snow, not even looking up to raise her hand to the border. Regina reciprocated, but within moments they could feel the magic reacting to them, forcing them apart.

Regina glanced at her sadly then spared a fleeting look to the cruiser where her son sat. Without another word, she turned and headed back to her car, only letting her head fall dejectedly when she was five miles away from Storybrooke.

* * *

 

It was past six in the evening and the storm had knocked out the electricity in Regina's apartment. She was frantically trying to rush, pulling out her warmest most appealing clothes she could find by way of candle. The vibration of her phone paused her activity when she crossed her small room to pick up the device.

She answered it, expecting Henry's deepening voice but found Emma's tentative "Hi" instead.

"Emma?" Regina asked, sitting down hard on her bed. "Is everything okay? Is Henry-"

"Henry's fine," the blonde quickly confirmed.

"Is there a problem?"

"It's the worst storm of the century, news said."

"It's not that bad," Regina answered automatically until she finally looked out her window to see street lights swaying, swirling grey clouds towering menacingly over skyscrapers, and the snow coming down so fierce the city declared it a white out.

"I don't want you driving, Regina."

"Emma-"

"It's too dangerous," the blonde stood firmly behind her statement.

"I'll drive carefully."

"No, it's not up for debate," Emma argued. "Just stay home."

"No."

"Regina."

"Emma," the brunette enunciated her name fiercely, her tone not to be taken lightly. "I haven't been down there since Christmas."

"And I want to see you next Christmas, and not visiting a grave on the side of the road."

Regina fumed silently.

"Please," Emma pleaded. "It's bad here too, I don't want you driving in this."

The brunette huffed angrily and fell back on her bed. "Fine."

"Thank you," Emma breathed out relieved.

Regina crawled up to the headboard of her bed, curling under her blankets and kept the phone pressed to her ear. "How was your day?"

They talked non-stop for hours, about little things like how Regina purchased these new marvelous paint brushes, and big things like how Emma had managed to transport herself magically to the station when she was late for work one morning. By the time Regina's electricity came back on, it was well past midnight and both women were content just to be on the phone with the other, neither having to say anything just enjoying the other's company.

Regina finally noticed the time and sighed sadly into the phone, eyeing the frame she kept on her night stand as she whispered to the quiet blonde on the other line. "Happy birthday, Emma."

* * *

 

The first sign of winter breaking had the blonde and brunette meeting up at the town line almost immediately. The large bashful grins on their faces couldn't be denied, but Emma was no closer to figuring out how to break the damn dome that encompassed the town.

Every time they met, it became harder and harder to leave, and the growing reality that Emma wasn't strong enough to break this curse burrowed itself in the minds of both women. The weeks passed where they wouldn't bring it up, but the nights when they wanted nothing more than to feel arms wrapped around them, to feel their fingers linked together, had them yearning and wanting.

Most nights Regina would live in a hotel just over an hour away just so she had more time with Emma and Henry whenever he came. Most nights Emma would bring her dinner to the line, not surprised to see Regina driving up there as well.

But this night, this night Emma had had enough of her cabin fever, desperate to find any way to get over that line. She didn't realize her mother had noticed her erratic behavior and discreetly followed her.

When Emma was at the line, palm pressed against Regina's, Mary Margaret snapped, running out of her car and yelling. "Get away from her!"

The shrill voice startled the two women, causing the brunette to instinctively pull Emma towards her, causing the border to shoot her backwards through the air.

"Regina!" Emma called out frantically to the woman on the ground.

Mary Margaret grabbed her daughter's arm, forcing her to face her way. "What do you think you're doing?"

Emma ripped her arm out of the brunette's grasp and turned back to see Regina limping as she picked herself up. "Are you okay?"

"Why do you care? She's evil, Emma," Snow reminded her.

"She's not evil," the blonde quickly dismissed. "Regina!"

The brunette on the other side of the line glared at the pixie-haired woman, limping a few paces to get a feel for her ankle. "I'm fine, Ms. Swan."

Snow grabbed her daughter's arm roughly, yanking her back to their cars. "Stay away from the line, Emma. It can hurt you."

"It already has!" Emma yelled. "I'm stuck here, Mary Margaret! I've got nowhere to go! You think that doesn't hurt more than an electric shock and a few scrapes?"

"We agreed-"

"And it was a stupid agreement!" Emma screeched at her mother, letting her self-loathing expel to the closest target. "Yeah, no one comes to town now, but I don't want to live in Storybrooke for the rest of my life. I don't want to live in the Enchanted Forest. I don't want to be trapped, and I'm trapped."

"Who's fault is that?" Snow asked throwing a sideways glare to Regina. "It also keeps her out. Remember that, Emma."

"I do," the blonde gasped out. "Every time I come here, I am all too aware that she can't cross that line just as much as I can't."

Snow narrowed her eyes and switched her gaze from her daughter to the stock still woman on the other side and back again. "How long have you two been meeting?"

"Does it matter?" Emma shook her head dejectedly and whispered. "We can't cross the line."

"Why. . .?" Snow tensed and eyed the women. "How long has _this_ been going on?"

She stalked over to the line, pointing a threatening finger at Regina. "We gave you chances time and time again. You are banished, Regina!"

The brunette leaned her head in closer with a sneer in place. "Don't you think I know that, dear?"

"Stay away from my daughter."

"No."

Snow turned at Regina's answer. "Excuse me?"

"I stopped owing anything to you, and your kingdom and this town the day I crossed this line, so you can threaten me all you want, Snow White, but you cannot stop me from doing what I want on this side of the line." Regina's voice was low and menacing, every bit of the Evil Queen she was famed for.

"Fine." Snow stormed off, pulling Emma with her. "You are not allowed to associate with her, Emma."

"What?" The blonde shrieked yanking her wrist away. "I'm an adult, Mary Margaret. You don't get to tell me who I can see."

"She's the Evil Queen, Emma!" Mary Margaret yelled. "Even if she's changed, you cannot be with her!"

Green eyes sparked defiantly. "Watch me."

Neither brunettes had time to process Emma running full speed towards Regina. For a brief fleeting moment, Emma thought she would make it, she thought she would cross the line, grab Regina and go.

But the line flew her back twenty feet, the sound of her body thudding and scraping against the road was sickening.

"Emma!" Regina's eyes widened and she yelled, moving from her car to the line.

Snow ran to her daughter, kneeling to help her up before Emma pushed her away, running again towards the line. She flew back again, rolling on the ground several times before she stopped.

"Emma, stop it!" Regina yelled from the edge, moisture clouding her vision watching Emma struggle to stand this time.

The blonde was resilient. Her cheeks were scratched and her jacket torn, but she limped to the line again only to be flung back.

"Stop!" Regina tugged her hair frantically when she saw a trickle of blood drip down Emma's forehead.

Snow stood in her way again, but Emma just spat out blood, shouldering her mother aside when she limply walked to the line directly in front of Regina.

"Emma, please," the brunette begged.

The blonde just banged a fist at the border, meeting imaginary resistance and crying out when she felt the shocks run through her and willed her magic to keep her stable. She kept banging, the magic of the border overpowering her weakening resistance until it brought Emma to her knees.

Regina crouched by her, unconscious tears streaming down her face as the blonde before her slumped over, broken, bruised and bloody.

"Emma, please stop trying," Regina begged quietly.

Emma mustered up enough strength to raise her head, the abrasion on her forehead obvious as was the growing bump there. Her eyes were cloudy with unshed tears and hopelessness.

"No."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer in Chapter One
> 
> AN: I know this was a unusually long wait, but I hope this chapter makes up for it. Thank you to x0utsid3r who kindly offered a suggestion for a scene, and of course Korderoo who was the first to plant the idea to extend this oneshot. To everyone who has reviewed, favourited and subscribed to the story, you are honestly thee best people in the entire world. The response to this has been phenomenal, and it is all thanks to you :)

_Snow, Charming, Emma and the Blue Fairy sat at a long table at the head of Town Hall's conference room. Nearly all of the town was stuffed into the room as the royal family stared down the Evil Queen standing before them now awaiting her fate._

_"Regina," Charming's voice boomed, the chatter of the crowd dying down instantaneously. "The crimes you have committed in the Enchanted Forest and in Storybrooke cannot be excused."_

_There were murmurs of agreement among the crowd._

_"Granted, aiding us in capturing Rumplestiltskin, stripping him of his magic and putting yourself at risk is something we also can't ignore."_

_"Banishment." Snow spoke gently as if she were doing the brunette a favour. "You are to never return to Storybrooke again."_

_Regina's lips parted. She expected as much but the reality of the situation was creeping up into her brain making her blood turn cold._

_"All those in favour?" Snow raised her hand, almost immediately followed by Charming and Blue. The three figures at the table stared at Emma who eyed the brunette slowly before raising her hand herself._

_"It's decided."_

* * *

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

Emma looked up at Regina sheepishly. "Banishing you."

The brunette rolled a noncommittal shoulder. "Nothing to be done."

"Still-"

"It happened, Emma," Regina said softly yet firmly. "I'm the Evil Queen. You're the Saviour. Plus I still hated you."

"I'm starting to re-evaluate my definition of evil," the blonde smirked as she leaned back on her hands, hissing and pulling back when she applied pressure to her severely raw palms.

"Does it hurt?" The brunette whispered, eyeing Emma with her forehead in bandages, her cheeks and nose scraped, and that was just her face alone. Regina knew if Emma took off her jacket she'd find cuts and bruises all over the blonde's abdomen.

The blonde merely shook her head. "Not really."

"Don't lie to me."

"I've felt worse," Emma admitted. "These'll heal."

Brown eyes watered at the memory of Emma recklessly throwing herself against the border before shaking her head to clear her mind. "If your mother finds you here-"

"What can she do that's worse than this?"

They remained silent, the clouds above them swirling menacingly. Regina looked up, narrowing her eyes at the dark clouds before feeling a rain drop on her nose. She wiped at it before looking back down to Emma who was watching her every move.

A sudden downpour fell upon them almost instantly soaking them in the rather lukewarm water. Regina shrieked and scurried to stand, using her blanket as protection as she made her way to a thick group of trees that provided shade.

The blonde just smirked and laid back down on the road, letting the water wash away her scrapes. She laughed feeling the thick droplets of water attack her face, soaking through her tank top.

"You're going to get sick," Regina called out over the rain.

"Get sick with me."

The brunette glared at Emma's request, but when she saw the Sheriff had no intention of moving, she huffed and dropped the blanket, stomping over to the side of the line and dropping herself down.

Emma turned her head to the side, her blonde hair soaked in ringlets and sticking to the bandages on her forehead to laugh at the brunette who had a hard time sitting still, obviously fighting the urge to take shelter. She held her hand up slowly, a few fingertips touching the boundary line as if to tuck errant strands of wet brown hair away from Regina's eyes.

The brunette caught the motion, her eyes shining with a watery smile as the storm persisted.

* * *

"One Caramel Apple Spice Cider." The barista handed Regina her drink watching carefully as the woman sighed seeing his number on coffee cup sleeve again.

She took it, licking the top of the whipped cream before inspecting the time to see it was still quite early to leave and decided to settle in the corner and read.

The after-work rush was dying down just as the brunette looked to be finishing her drink. Now was his chance. Under the ruse of sweeping the area, he lingered by her and caught her gaze with a dimpled smile.

"I noticed you come around here a lot," he said then extended his hand. "Jason."

The brunette eyed his proffered hand for an unnecessarily long time, letting the young man flounder before finally shaking it briefly.

"Regina, right?"

She lifted her cup to her lips, pointing at her name which he had clearly written on the side. "That would be correct."

He laughed taking the seat across from her. She had to bite her cheek not to reprimand him for being so forward.

"I know doing that is the least romantic way of asking a woman out," he gestured to his number of the sleeve, "but I was wondering if you'd like to do something Friday night."

His hand came over her arm, heavy and warm, something she could  _feel_. She inhaled sharply looking at it. She couldn't remember the last time she had any physical contact with anyone. Her brow furrowed at the thought. The last time had been three years ago as she hugged Henry goodbye. Had it really been that long?

Every touch shared with Emma always held that thin barrier of magic between them. Whether the warmth was from the blonde or from the border reacting to their presence, Regina almost couldn't tell, but this, his hand on her forearm, this she could feel.

But it wasn't the same. Not even close.

He ducked his head in closer, his dimples showing as he smiled encouragingly. "What do you say?"

In any other circumstance, Regina would have most likely bedded him by now, but as it was, things were different now. She was different.

She retracted her arm forcibly and gathered her book. "No."

She stood and made quick work of disposing her cup before donning her coat.

He turned in his seat confused as she brushed past her table ready to leave. "Do you have a boyfriend or something?"

There was a hint of a smile on the brunette's face as she pushed the door open. "I have a girlfriend."

* * *

Emma hated everyone. Everyone in the town. Everyone except Henry. And Regina? Well, she wasn't in the town, was she?

It was Storybrooke's Liberation Day, the town's official holiday where they commemorated being free from all the wicked this world had befallen them.

Emma snorted. It was just a cruel reminder that today marked the day they enacted the spell keeping her trapped in this god forsaken town. It was another reminder that this day three years ago, she watched the tail lights of Regina's Mercedes drive away from the town. Today sucked and so did everyone else for thinking that was a good idea.

Leaning against her patrol car watching all the sickly happy citizens with their sparklers congratulating her parents on a job well done, of another year of peace and prosperity, Emma groaned aggravated and pushed off the car in search of Leroy to confiscate the six-pack she was sure he would have on him.

Finding him wasn't difficult. He tended to keep the dwarves close to the nun's booth where they sold their candles so he could sneak glances at Astrid. More than once did the blonde just want to grab the custodian and the sister and shove them together. They were able to do so after all.

With a simple threat that Astrid wouldn't approve of his disorderly conduct should he not hand over his stash, Emma stalked off, a case of five beers in one hand and already downing her first on her way back to the cruiser.

* * *

The Sheriff sat on the hood of her cruiser with three empty bottles sitting on the bumper by her feet, a fourth bottle held in between her fingers as she nursed the cold brew between her lips.

The fireworks behind her were annoying. The laughter from Town Square that seemed to resonate all the way out to the town line was aggravating. This orange line painted on the ground that seemed to hold the most power in her life was stupid.

She wiped her mouth on her sleeve as she slid off the car and walked to the edge of the line. Holding up her palm, she called forth her magic.  _Work, damn it._

She felt it. The familiar pure energy coursing through her bones. _There it is._  Directing the energy outward towards her palm, a flash of white light expelled from her, hitting the barrier then spreading out in opposite directions of the line, resisted by the border.

"Dammit!" She cried out to the sky tugging on her hair in frustration as she stalked a few steps away. She turned angrily as if she had a tangible opponent. "Why won't you work?!"

She threw her bottle at the line, turning suddenly to shield her face when the bottle exploded upon contact, beer and glass raining down at the edge of the line. Emma cautioned her head up, eyes watering as she took in the fact that the other side of the line was free of debris.

She shook her head in disbelief as she marched back to the line, whispering to herself. "Are you fucking serious?"

The bottles on the bumper were picked up along the way as one by one, the blonde threw them at the line, ducking her head when the glass shattered around her feet. She almost didn't process the Benz that drove up as she threw her last bottle.

Regina rushed out of her car, not bothering to close the door as Emma yelled out to the sky, kicking her bumper until it was askew.

"Emma," the brunette tried to calm her. She noted the broken glass on her side of the town and could smell the beer that perforated the air but said nothing. Following Emma's pacing, Regina tried again. "Emma, look at me."

Finally, she did.

"You're okay," Regina comforted.

The blonde snorted and kicked at the tiny shards on the ground, growling when some would bounce off the imaginary field and back to her. "I'm not okay, Regina. Far from it."

"Come," the brunette offered her hand as if Emma could take it. "Let's go for a walk."

"I don't wanna," the blonde mumbled childishly.

"Suit yourself." Regina began walking towards the forest, the fireworks creating a soft colourful dim to the thickets of trees lighting up her way. She was relieved to hear the rustling behind her and the heavy foot falls and mumbled curse words as Emma followed behind her, catching up to her pace in a few strides.

They didn't talk until they had reached a clearing, one that displayed the small town in the distance on Emma's side, the town that was alive with chatter, fireworks filling the sky. Emma had discovered it months ago and was eager to show Regina. It was the closest the brunette had ever gotten to seeing the town again.

"Happy Liberation Day," Regina said dryly, taking a spot upon a rock near the border.

"Don't," Emma held up a hand. "Worst holiday ever."

"You don't get the day off, Sheriff?" The brunette quipped.

Emma glared at her light-heartedness before directing her gaze to the town. "I don't get how they can be so happy."

"I do," Regina whispered staring up at the red and purple fireworks.

The blonde sat down hard beside Regina, both looking down upon the town.

"It's why they were so happy in the Enchanted Forest," the brunette explained. "If you had everything you needed in your life,  _everyone_ , you would be happy too."

She avoided Emma's gaze as the blonde turned her head to study the older woman's words. They sunk into Emma, went in through her ears and traveled through all the proper canals, leaving its imprint on the walls it passed, not to register in her brain, but in her heart.

She exhaled, calming her frustrations from the woman's words before whispering regretfully. "I don't know how to break it."

Regina turned her head as the blonde continued. "I've been looking up spells and Blue says it's impossible, but that's a load of crap coming from her, and I've gotten stronger I can feel it, but-"

"You don't have to break it."

Emma's eyes widened, her mind automatically going to the worst case scenario.  _Regina wasn't coming back._

The brunette gave a watery smile to assuage the blonde's feelings. "We'll make do."

"What?" She couldn't deny that feeling of relief that flooded through her.

Regina just shrugged turning back towards the fireworks, the hint of a playful on her lips.

"So we're just gonna get two houses on either side of the line?" Emma asked with a smirk.

"It'll stop any awkward attempts you'll make in asking me to move in with you," the brunette replied not missing a beat.

"I could get creative."

"Like Chez Forêt?"

"You enjoyed that," Emma said pointedly.

"Here I was attributing it to my company."

Regina's face was stoic when she said, making Emma glance up to look at her just to make sure she heard right. She smiled to herself letting the laughter of the town fill her ears when the fireworks died down. Both their hands were as close to the imaginary division as possible, their pinkies twitching to link with its lost partner on the other side.

She didn't have much, Emma always knew that growing up. She was never the richest kid, the smartest or the prettiest, but here was Regina, a person she would have avoided all of her life simply because she grew up on the other side of the tracks telling her that her mere presence was enough. Yeah, Emma decided accepting her fate, she had everyone she needed in her life.

* * *

"Do you know what today is?"

"The 23rd," Regina replied having not looked up from her sketch book. She found herself absent-mindedly doodling while sitting in the cafe and found herself sketching a small cabin in the woods.

"Probably, but that's not what I meant."

"What did you mean then?"

"I think it's been over a year," Emma explained lying down on her back.

"Since?"

"That first night."

Regina finally looked up, flipping through her mind's filing cabinet of dates to find herself surprised that the blonde was right. "It's been nearly two years."

Emma laughed to herself. "I suck at anniversary dates." She turned to wiggle her eyebrows at the brunette. "I'll make it up to you."

"Oh?" Regina smirked lowering her voice an octave enough to make the younger woman gulp and be thankful there was a barrier separating them. "What did you have in mind?"

The blonde shook off her moment of lust only to sit up and rest her arms on her knees. "Well, first, I'd take you out to the best restaurant money could buy, all on me, dancing in the moonlight, long walk on the beach, all that fun stuff."

The brunette snorted but allowed Emma to continue. "Then we'd go home, probably in some tent in the woods-"

"A lodge," Regina clarified.

"A lodge in the woods, petals lying everywhere, candles, the whole nine yards."

"Mmhmm," the brunette grinned amused at her imagination.

"And we could just fall asleep on the couch." Emma's gaze was far off, distant, imagining all she had described before whispering a final word. "Together."

Regina looked down at her drawing, shutting her eyes from the moisture that clouded it when the cabin in the woods began to blur.

"Happy anniversary," Emma whispered, rearing up on her kneels and pressing her palm to the line.

The brunette chuckled sadly. "You already missed our first one."

"I'll sleep on the couch."

Regina inched closer to the line, pressing her palm against Emma's. It was as if the barrier wasn't even there. Her breath hitched. "You're getting stronger."

Emma nodded, her eyes roving frantically at the internal conflict currently waging war inside her skull.

"Come closer?" Emma whispered, her eyes finally settling on Regina's for understanding.

Without question the brunette inched forward, her head right up against the barrier, magic crackling haphazardly near her face at a low frequency, warning her to back away.

"Careful," Emma spoke hastily when Regina moved a little too fast for her liking. "Do not move, okay?"

Brown eyes flashed with confirmation as Regina remained perfectly still. Emma raised her palm near Regina's face, shutting her eyes and summoning her magic to the surface. She felt it seep out, a thin layer of white floating in space against the borderline. Her heart thudded in anticipation. She had to try one more time. Just one more time, and she'd accept that she would never get to wrap her arms around Regina's neck or pull her against her in their sleep.

Just one more time.

Emma leaned her head in forward feeling Regina's short breaths puff out erratically against her cheek.

"Come a little closer," Emma instructed cautiously, telling her to stop when Regina moved just the barest centimeter forward.

Their noses were all but touching and by now Regina's eyes had closed, bracing herself for the impact.

"I'm sorry if this hurts," Emma whispered, and she could have sword she felt Regina's lips against her tongue as she spoke.

"Emma," Regina breathed out. "Shut up."

The blonde closed the gap, her heart beating wildly in her ears as she shut her eyes waiting for the magic to yank them apart.

It didn't come.

Instead, she felt warm, moist lips against hers, pressed firmly, fitting so perfectly.

The reality was so shocking both women snapped their eyes open just to see for themselves that this was actually happening, that they were actually kissing.

Satisfied with their discovery and not willing to cut the moment short with one wrong overeager move, their eyes drifted shut again, reveling in feeling the other's lips for the first time.

The moment was short lived when the border's magic seemed to fire up, causing the two to break up prematurely.

Regina pressed her fingers to her lips, amazed at what had just occurred.  _She had kissed Emma._

The blonde was equally dumbstruck, staring at the palm that provided momentary protection against the barrier and grinning wildly to herself.  _Finally._

Just like magnets, Regina looked up just in time to catch Emma's hopeful gaze. With purposeful strides, they walked back to the town line, inching closer together, wanting more.

Before their lips could connect again, a burst of magic shot outward, separating the two women and knocking them on their backs.

Emma's mouth was wide open, looking around her confused. "No, I- I thought it worked."

Regina was the first to stand, wiping off her palms and the gravel that clung to her jeans. Her heart sank as soon as her back made contact with the road. For a moment there, she thought their kiss had been enough. She thought it would be able to resurface her inner magic and break that damn barrier. She hugged herself for feeling so naïve.

"It's fine, Emma," her voice was hoarse, a mixture of lost hope and reassurance. "It did work."

"Regina," Emma finally stood and ran to the line, feeling the barrier still in place.

"It's getting late." She couldn't deny the croak in the brunette's voice before she turned and offered a watery smile. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Emma was still in shock by the time Regina had driven off. This was crap, that was supposed to work. She had kissed her, she knew she had, she felt those lips against hers. The lips that offered so much promise, the ones who said she didn't care about the barrier, would keep returning to her every day.

She was so close, so close to Regina, and then it was gone, just like that.

She took a deep breath, pacing the line with her hands on her head. She got a taste of the woman she'd come to respect, care for and love. Admitting her feelings wasn't even the hard part. It was the separation, the need to be there for her and keep her safe. But they couldn't have that. Some unknown force deemed them incapable of being with each other.

No, it didn't keep them separated, Emma told herself. She'd live in the forest if she had to, hell, she was basically doing so anyway.

As Emma got into her patrol car and drove away, a small little firefly attempted to fly past over the line. Its first attempt was met with resistance, a warning buzz of magic, but it managed to find a slowly growing hole over five feet off the ground where lips had met in True Love's kiss.

* * *

Regina and Emma lay side by side each other, their feet pointing opposite directions but their heads right next to each other. They had discussed what had occurred the previous night and agreed that they were grateful for small miracles. Neither offered to try again. If it worked for a moment only for them to be whipped back again, the knowledge that they had been be so close and the reality that they had wasted so much time fighting when they were actually living in the same town hurt far too much.

"You know what's funny?"

"Hmm?"

"You punched me."

The brunette lifted her head to stare incredulously at the blonde. "That's funny?"

Emma laughed. "I got so under your skin you actually had to hit me."

"And you're proud of that?"

The blonde turned her head to meet brown amused eyes. "I was the first person to make you feel something."

"Anger." She tilted her head pointedly.

"What you call anger I call misplaced lust."

Regina laughed out loud.

"I was, wasn't I?" The blonde pressed.

"Was what?"

"The first person to make you feel," Emma clarified then rushed to add. "Aside from Henry."

Regina smiled softly, her eyes shining with mirth. "Yes."

Emma grinned smugly. "Knew it."

The brunette shook her head at the Sheriff's cockiness. "So your feelings were strictly anger?"

Emma smirked, willing a thin protective barrier of light magic to come out from her fingertips against the middle ground. "You made me stay."

Regina met it, cleverly hiding her blush behind a well-timed cough.

"Perhaps this was our blessing in disguise," the brunette spoke softly.

"An invisible electrical fence?" Emma asked incredulously.

Regina shook her head. "Being too curious on what's on the other side."

The blonde looked confused, not quite understanding the brunette's meaning.

Regina smirked. "Really, Emma. 'The grass is always greener on the other side'?"

"Oh," Emma's eyes brightened, finally taking in the expression.

"Well done, dear," the brunette teased.

"We might have still talked," Emma said hopefully. She held up her hands defensively when Regina gave her a questioning look. "Maybe after we put each other in the hospital."

Regina chuckled softly making Emma pause to appreciate the sound before whispering. "Thank god for this line then."

* * *

Emma and Henry sat on the hood of the cruiser, laying back under the stars. The blonde was more than a little down ever since Regina had phone earlier, the brunette's tone aggravated in its own right, to let Emma know Regina's car was in the shop. The fact that the Benz had handled the four-hour drive for the past two years was impressive enough as it is, but there was disappointment in both women's voice.

Instead of sulking at home, Emma had opted to sulk at the border, Henry tagging along when she made too much noise.

"So when can I learn how to drive?"

The blonde laughed. "Your mom would kill me."

"She wouldn't have to know."

"She knows everything," Emma reminded him. "I'll teach you when your voice doesn't crack."

Henry glared reminding the blonde of a certain brown-eyed beauty she was missing at the moment.

Emma grinned leaning back on her elbows before turning solemn. "How do you do it?"

"Hormones?"

She nudged him at his answer. "Don't you miss your mom?"

"Yeah," he said obviously.

"It doesn't bother you that you can't hug her or something?"

"Not like it bothers you."

Emma's eyes flashed to her son's who held his hands up in defense.

"I'm not blind, Emma." He smirked at his mother's blush. "Plus, I heard grandma ranting to gramps. And you came home all beaten up, and I know you didn't get into it with Leroy, and Paige told me what you did to her dad."

"It wasn't that obvious," she pushed at his shoulder.

"Nice necklace." He teased, throwing a stone he was toying with across the border, watching it bounce on the other side of the line.

Emma's hand immediately shot up to her neck where Regina's necklace lay just above the valley of her breasts. "You don't mind?"

He slid off the hood moving back to the passenger seat. "If I did would I cover for you whenever grandma calls checking in?"

"She does that?" Emma asked appalled, sliding off herself and buckling into the driver's seat.

"She might ground you," the boy teased as his mother reversed and began driving back into town.

It wasn't until much later, well after Emma and Henry had gone to bed and just before dawn did Emma sit up in her bed in a cold sweat.

_Henry had thrown a rock across the line._

She yanked the covers off of herself and moved swiftly to pull on the closest pair of jeans she could find. She barely had the sense to leave a note on the fridge for Henry to find when he woke before she grabbed her jacket and ran down the steps of her apartment building, hopping down two at a time.

The usual twenty minute drive to get to the edge of town was cut in half when the Sheriff broke all the speeding laws and saw stop signs as mere suggestions.

Her heart beat erratically when she approached the border. She saw right, right? She knew Henry threw that rock, and she knew it didn't come flying back at them. Stopping the cruiser at a twenty feet distance, Emma stepped out, eyeing the orange paint, waiting for some brick wall to appear to stop her.

She quickly found a small pebble along the side of the road, rotating it in between her fingers getting a feel for it, before glancing down, putting her entire faith in this small piece of limestone. Bringing it to her lips for a good luck kiss, she whipped it with all might, holding her breath as she watched the rock soar through the air, approach the border and fall neatly on the other side of the line.

_It went through._

Instead of calming down, her heart beat more rapidly. She swallowed thickly before getting back in her car and buckling up. She shifted the car into drive but kept her foot on the brake, mentally preparing herself for what she was about to do.

If this doesn't work, this is gonna hurt a hell of a lot more than a few scrapes, she thought to herself.

She felt the weight of Regina's necklace on her collarbone, heating up against her flushed skin like a signal, a sign to go.

Her foot slammed on the gas.

* * *

Regina woke feeling slightly irritated that her car was still in the repair shop. She was hoping to pick it up the night before, but the mechanic was backed up, claiming she needed a new engine and muffler and to order the parts would take at least two weeks. If he was going to be unreasonable with his time frame, then she'd just buy a new car.

Her morning routine went about normally. She had breakfast - egg white omelet with spinach and feta - and coffee while reading the paper before getting ready for her day - shower, primp and dress. She donned her smock before setting up her easel by the window, sitting down on a stool and leaning over to the window sill to press play on her radio. As soon as the soothing sounds of Enya came through the dock, she lost herself in her painting.

With every stroke of the brush, the wooded area the canvas displayed came to life, the stump in the middle with a crack down its center and a fallen over vase resting on the right side of the oak stump.

She drowned out the sounds of the murmuring crowd below her three-story window, the sound of cars honking during their rush to work, the sirens of a police car blaring just down the street frightening the birds that sought shelter on her window sill. She just focused on her picture, adding each delicate ring to the stump, making the flower in its vase pop out with just a hint of lilac.

Time would have escaped her if that knock hadn't come to her door mid-morning. Furrowing her brow at her unlikely guest, she set down her palette and removed her smock, lowering the volume of her music before hurrying to the door where another impatient knock sounded.

She opened it, unable to process the person on the other side.

_Emma._

Regina stood with her mouth gaping, her breathing shallow as she took in the disheveled blonde standing in her hallway looking just as wide eyed as she.

They didn't know how long they stood there staring at each other, far too long for either of their liking, but it was Emma who moved first, slowly raising her palm up to place it high in the space between the apartment and the hallway. Regina watched her movements, swallowing hard before she raised her own hand, cautious at first wondering if her mind was playing tricks on her. Her paint splattered hand hovered against the younger woman's, only an inch separating them before Regina forced herself forward, her hand connecting with Emma's.

Her eyes immediately sought green as they shifted from the orbs that begged for her attention to their pressing hands here in her Boston apartment.

Emma grinned watery before curling her fingers forward, linking their palms together in a warm embrace.

" _Emma,_ " Regina whispered.

Before anything else could be said, she felt arms wrap around her neck as the blonde stepped forward, pressing her body against Regina's in a desperate hug. Her arms automatically wove around Emma's waist, feeling the blonde's fingers stroke through her hair, Emma's face buried into her neck.

"I'm here," Emma whispered, clutching Regina tighter, feeling her reciprocate as her senses overflowed with everything that was Regina. Her apple shampoo, the softness of her hair, how lithe and firm her body was pressed against hers. " _I'm here_."

* * *

Emma couldn't believe it. She couldn't believe that she would ever be in the same room as Regina, let alone hugging her, linking their fingers together, lying in her bed. But here she was, in Boston, her right hand clasped firmly with Regina's left as her left hand trailed feather light touches down the brunette's arms.

"I don't know," Emma admitted quietly as if talking any louder would break the spell they found themselves in and send her careening back into Storybrooke. "It just wasn't there last night."

The flesh underneath her fingertips goosebumped under her touch, reaching out for the blonde to move closer, to erase the gap between them that they had habitually put there.

Regina sighed under Emma's touch, shutting her eyes to feel her nails gently scrape down her arm, to feel her hand clutch her own tighter, afraid to let go. "What if you can't go back?"

"I don't really want to think about Storybrooke right now, Regina," Emma admitted softly, her fingers trailing a path up Regina's arms until her palm rested at the base of her neck.

The brunette couldn't refrain herself either, her free hand clutching at Emma's waist, bunching up the blonde's shirt in her fist before moving a palm underneath the cotton and following the dip of Emma's spine. "You're really here."

The blonde nodded with a joyful glint in her eye before bringing Regina's knuckles to her lips, placing a kiss on each bone before opening up her palm, kissing her life line and following it down to the veins along her arm. With each kiss, Emma inched closer feeling Regina's palm on her back graze higher in a methodical stroking way, pressing firmly wanting Emma close just as the blonde wanted to be close.

Their bodies were still separated by centimeters of bed sheet by the time Emma ended her trail of kisses on Regina's jaw, finishing her last just on the corner of her lips. She felt Regina's short pants against her lips, actually feeling this woman's breath and not carried by the wind. In a move so minute Emma wouldn't have caught it unless pressed firmly against the brunette, Regina tilted her head to Emma's as invitation.

Their lips met.

Regina's lips were plump and soft against Emma's, lips so sweet Emma could swear they were some sort of delicacy that she had the privilege indulging in. They moved together, and when the gap between them finally closed, Emma deepened the kiss, her tongue swiping the brunette's bottom lip in a silent plea to be let in. Regina didn't disappoint and soon she felt Regina's tongue battling against her own. She couldn't believe how long she'd gone without kissing these lips.

They parted breathily, Emma keeping her mouth pressed against the brunette's before chuckling. "Wasn't that great."

Regina smirked, shutting Emma up effectively in another kiss, pushing the blonde up and over so she straddled her against the bed. She felt Emma gasp in shock underneath her sudden attack, grinning against the blonde's lips as she deepened the kiss. "You were saying?"

Emma smiled up at the brunette above her, her fingers brushing back a stray of brown hair and allowing her palm to rest against Regina's olive toned cheek. She bit her lip watching Regina's eyes flutter shut at the contact as she pressed firmly against Emma's palm.

The brunette blushed, feeling green eyes on her. "I can feel you."

Emma sat up keeping the older woman in her lap making sure to keep their bodies flushed against each other before cupping Regina's cheeks in her hands, bringing the face so ridiculously pretty it hurt sometimes closer to her own. "Where do you want to feel me?"

" _Everywhere._ "

* * *

Regina was no stranger to bedmates. Her reign as Queen had men falling over themselves at the chance to even catch her eye, but being with Emma wasn't some itch that needed scratching. Being with Emma was like breathing, a need so powerful she soaked in as much of the blonde as she could.

Clothes were discarded, peeled away slowly, deliberately, savouring the reveal of each new inch of skin. Lips found that skin, claiming it as their own until nothing separated them. Flesh against flesh, nails digging into hips, lips, teeth and tongue doing their best to mark every inch of the other woman.

They took their time finding no need to rush, no need to fumble or attribute their feelings to a moment of lust. They knew very well what they were feeling. They knew had Emma not shown up at Regina's apartment, the brunette would have returned to the border every day if she had to. But she didn't have to anymore for Emma was there, above her, beneath her, within her, loving her with every bright glimmer in her eye, with every soft caress of her lips against Regina's flushed and wanting skin, with every exchange of breath.

Regina returned in kind, her fingers weaving their way through blonde curls always tugging up the younger woman's head to reclaim her lips in a kiss, their legs tangled within the sheets, her hand stroking above Emma's abdomen so teasingly she laughed at the blonde's breathy and pleading moan.

They brought each other to new heights, the passion within them raging as their bodies moved with such fluidity it was as if they had been loving each other for years. The thought made Emma breathless realizing that she would have gladly spent her days in a forest, sitting on a decaying road waiting for Regina, but the mere thought that she was with her now made her press closer, willing Regina to let go, promising that this wouldn't be the last time.

The sound of her moan in her ear triggered Emma's release, and the two women clung to each other, refusing to separate for even a minute. Emma could feel the rise and fall of the older woman's chest against her own before peppering kisses along her collarbone as if their contact never seemed to be enough. She grinned when she felt Regina's fingers twine through her hair, already knowing to move up and direct her kisses to Regina's swollen lips.

Emma was a wanderer, that much was sure, but kissing Regina, being wrapped up in her arms, made the blonde realize that no matter where she went right here would always be home.

* * *

Regina lay on her side, a thin cotton sheet wrapped around her body, a feeling of pure bliss flooding her entire senses as she felt the weight of the blonde behind her resting soundly. She grinned happily and stretched out an arm to trace the figures of herself and the blonde in the sketch on her nightstand.  _So this is what that feels like_.

Regina had become acutely aware of every movement Emma made, and she grinned feeling a slight shift against her back knowing the blonde was awake. Her answer was confirmed when she felt a kiss on the back of her shoulder before hands came around to her front near her neck. She squinted when she realized Emma was placing a necklace around her then felt lips against the back of her neck as soon as the clasp was safely in place.

"Merry Christmas." She kissed the brunette's shoulder again, her hands moving under the covers to wrap around her waist protectively. "Happy birthday." A kiss on her pulse point. "Happy Valentine's Day." A kiss just below her ear.

Regina turned in her arms, her eyes shining with mirth as she pressed her lips against the blonde's. "You always forget our anniversary."

Emma laughed bringing Regina closer. "I'll make it up to you."

"And how will you do that?"

"We'll get Henry, come back here, have dinner together like a family," Emma answered obviously.

Regina couldn't stop the pleased blush from forming on her cheeks when Emma had mentioned their family. She would finally have a family, her happy ending. She nodded biting her lip to reign in her emotion. "That more than makes up for it."

* * *

Emma slowed the cruiser down as soon as she approached Storybrooke. Her hand had held Regina's throughout the entire ride, and neither woman was complaining, understanding the other's need for some physical contact. Regina squeezed Emma's hand before letting go briefly to exit the patrol car and meeting her at the front already reaching out to take her offered hand. They walked up to the line, Regina staring at it worriedly, frightened that despite having Emma, Henry was still on the other side.

Emma offered a reassuring but hesitant smile before looking forward towards the stretch of road leading into Storybrooke. She shut her eyes and stepped over the line.

Regina gasped looking around them as she realized that she was in Storybrooke again.

"It's gone," Emma breathed out happily, turning excitedly to the brunette. "It's gone."

Emma didn't let Regina speak before she grabbed the woman's face and kissed her senseless, too excited at their revelation to think straight. She tugged Regina's hand in hers before jogging them back to the patrol car, driving slowly over the border.

Regina turned in her seat, seeing the orange line fade into the distance as they passed the Welcome to Storybrooke sign. "We could stay here," Regina offered placing her hand over Emma's where it rested on Regina's thigh.

The blonde snorted. "I don't want to stay here."

"I'm not that fond of Boston," Regina admitted, worried about an already impending disagreement.

Emma squeezed her thigh in reassurance, taking her eyes briefly off the road to glance at the brunette. "A lodge in the woods?"

Regina's eyes brightened at the thought. Enacting the curse was supposed to be her chance for a better life, and being banished should have been the best thing that happened to her. They weren't. This woman smiling at her as they drove to pick up their son, that was her new beginning.

"Are you in it?" Regina asked already knowing the answer.

Emma grinned. "As long as you are."


End file.
